# emboss
## English
### Pronunciation

* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ɪmˈbɒs/, /ɛm-/
* (General American) IPA: /əmˈbɔs/, /ɛm-/
* Audio (General American):(file)
* (cot–caught merger) IPA: /əmˈbɑs/, /ɛm-/
* Rhymes: -ɒs
* Hyphenation: em‧boss

### Etymology 1

* PIE word
* *h₁én
The verb is derived from Late Middle English embossen, embosen, embocen (“to be bloated; to bulge; to cause to bulge; to ornament in relief, emboss”) [and other forms], from Old French embocer (modern French embosser), from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + boce (“swelling”) (from Vulgar Latin *bottia (“a bump”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *bautan (“to beat”), from Proto-Germanic *bautaną (“to beat; to bump, knock; to push”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewd- (“to hit, strike”)) + -er (suffix forming verbs). The English word is analysable as em- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’) +‎ boss (“bump, lump, protuberance”).
The noun is derived from the verb.

#### Verb

emboss (third-person singular simple present embosses, present participle embossing, simple past and past participle embossed) (transitive)
* To cause (something) to stick out or swell; to extrude; also, to cause (someone or something) to be covered in swellings.
** 1608, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du Bartas, “[Du Bartas His First VVeek, or Birth of the VVorld: […].] The Third Daie of the First VVeek.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 73:VVhen God, vvhoſe vvords more in a moment can, / Then in an Age the proudeſt ſtrength of Man, / Had ſeuered the Floods, leuell'd the Fields, / Embas't the Valleys, and emboſt the Hils; […]
** 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 1070–1071:His Cattel muſt of Rot and Murren die, / Botches and blaines muſt all his fleſh imboſs, / And all his people; […]
** 1814, Robert Southey, “Canto XXI”, in Roderick, the Last of the Goths, London: […] [F]or Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], by James Ballantyne and Co. […], →OCLC, page 256:An oak grew near, and with its ample boughs / O'ercanopied the spring; its fretted roots / Emboss'd the bank, and on their tufted bark / Grew plants which love the moisture and the shade.
* To make (a design on a coin, an ornament on an object, etc.) stand out from a surface.
** 1612, Michael Drayton, “The Fift Song”, in [John Selden], editor, Poly-Olbion. Or A Chorographicall Description of Tracts, Riuers, Mountaines, Forests, and Other Parts of this Renowned Isle of Great Britaine, […], London: […] [Humphrey Lownes] for M[athew] Lownes; I[ohn] Browne; I[ohn] Helme; I[ohn] Busbie, →OCLC, page 75:[S]o glorious vvas her Throne, / In vvhich himſelfe to ſit great Neptune had been knovvn; / […] / No Fiſh in this vvide vvaſte but vvith exceeding coſt / VVas there in Antique vvorke moſt curiouſly imboſt.
** 1644 May 18 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 8 May 1644]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC, page 62:The house opposite my lodging had been formerly a Palace of the King's, the outside was totaly cover'd with fleurs de lyes, emboss'd out of y$^e$ stone.
** 1676 January, [Robert] Boyle, “Experiments about the Superficial Figures of Fluids, especially Liquors Contiguous to Other Liquors, and Their Reflective Powers”, in John Lowthorp, Henry Jones, editors, The Philosophical Transactions and Collections, to the End of the Year 1720. Abridged, and Disposed under General Heads. […], 4th edition, London: […] J. and J. Knapton, […], published 1732, →OCLC, paragraph 22, page 535:This may alſo be obſerv'd in the beſt ſort of vvhat the Chymiſts call Regulus Martis Stellatus, vvhere the Figure of a Star, or a Figure ſomevvhat like that of the Decoction of the Soot lately mentioned, vvill frequently appear imboſt upon the upper Superficies of the Regulus; and ſuch a raiſed Figure I have ſeen on a Maſs of Regulus made of Antimony vvithout Mars.
** 1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, chapter VIII, in Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC, pages 146–147:[T]he profusion of her sable tresses, which, each arranged in its own spiral of twisted curls, fell down upon as much of a snow-white neck and bosom as a simarre of the richest Persian silk, exhibiting flowers in their natural colours embossed upon a purple ground, permitted to be visible—all these constituted a combination of loveliness, which yielded not to the loveliest of the maidens who surrounded her.
** 1858 June 17 (date written), Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Florence—Continued”, in Passages from the French and Italian Note-books of Nathaniel Hawthorne, volume II, London: Strahan & Co., […], published 1871, →OCLC, pages 44–45:I was most struck with a picture, by Fabriana Gentile [i.e., Gentile da Fabriano], of the Adoration of the Magi, […] all the magnificence of the three kings, are represented with the vividness of the real thing: a gold sword hilt, for instance, or a pair of gold spurs, being actually embossed on the picture.
* To represent (a subject) on an object in relief; also, of a design or subject: to stand out on (an object) in relief.
** 1608, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du Bartas, “[Du Bartas His Second VVeeke, […]. Adam. […].] The Handi-crafts. The IIII. Part of the I. Day of the II. Week.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 279:[R]ich embroideries by rare Art emboſt: […]
** 1697, Virgil, “The Sixth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, pages 362–363, lines 21–26:To the Cumæan Coaſt at length he came; / And, here alighting, built this coſtly Frame. / Inſcrib'd to Phœbus, here he hung on high / The ſteerage of his VVings, that cut the Sky: / Then o're the lofty Gate his Art emboſs'd / Androgeos Death, and Off'rings to his Ghoſt.
** 1838, William H[ickling] Prescott, “Review of the Political and Intellectual Condition of the Spanish Arabs previous to the War of Granada”, in History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic. […], volume I, Boston, Mass.: American Stationers’ Company; John B. Russell, →OCLC, 1st part (1406–1492), page 279:Most of its [the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba's] ancient glories have indeed long since departed. The rich bronze which embossed its gates, the myriads of lamps which illuminated its aisles, have disappeared; […]
* To decorate or mark (something) with a design or symbol in relief.
    The papers weren’t official until the seal had been embossed on them.
** 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XXXVII.] Of the Rich Precious Stones of Polycrates the Tyrant, and King Pyrrhus. The First Lappidaries or Cutters in Precious Stones. And who was the First that had a Case of Rings and Gems in Rome.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], 2nd tome, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, page 602:[T]he ſaid victorie of Pompeius vvhich he atchieved over K[ing] Mithridates, ſet mens teeth at Rome a vvatering after pearls and pretious ſtones; like as the conqueſts obtained by L. Scipio and Cn. Manlius, brought them into love vvith ſilver plate curiouſly enchaſed and emboſſed: […]
** 1726, Homer, “Book XIX”, in [Elijah Fenton], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume IV, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC, page 219, lines 292–295:The veſt much envy'd on your native coaſt, / And regal robe vvith figur'd gold emboſt, / In happier hours my artful hand employ'd, / VVhen my lov'd Lord this bliſsful bovv'r enjoy'd: […]
** 1788, Edward Gibbon, chapter LIX, in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume VI, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, page 171:A ſquare and lofty obeliſk of braſs; the ſides vvere emboſſed vvith a variety of pictureſque and rural ſcenes: […]
** 1851, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XX, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume IV, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 490:Oldfashioned merchants complained bitterly that a class of men who, thirty years before, had confined themselves to their proper functions, and had made a fair profit by embossing silver bowls and chargers, by setting jewels for fine ladies, and by selling pistoles and dollars to gentlemen setting out for the Continent, had become the treasurers, and were fast becoming the masters, of the whole City.
* To decorate (something) with bosses (“ornamental convex protuberances”); to boss; hence, to decorate (something) richly.
** 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 4, verso:I wonne her with a gyrdle of gelt, / Emboſt with buegle about the belt.
** 1785, William Cowper, “Book I. The Sofa.”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC, page 7:I fed on ſcarlet hips and ſtoney havvs, / Or bluſhing crabs, or berries that imboſs / The bramble, black as jet, or ſloes auſtere.
** 1785, William Cowper, “Book V. The Winter Morning Walk.”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC, page 203:And bloated ſpider, till the pamper'd peſt / Is made familiar, vvatches his approach, / Comes at his call and ſerves him for a friend— / To vvear out time in numb'ring to and fro / The ſtuds that thick emboſs his iron door, […]
** 1824, Walter Savage Landor, “Conversation II. Lord Brooke and Sir Philip Sidney.”, in Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, volume I, London: […] Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, pages 18–19:We, Greville, are happy in these parks and forests: we were happy in my close winter-walk of box and laurustinus and mezereon. In our earlier days did we not emboss our bosoms with the crocusses, and shake them almost unto shedding with our transports!
* (figurative)
** To cause (something) to be prominent or stand out.
*** 1797, Edmund Burke, “Letter III.”, in A Third Letter to a Member of the Present Parliament, on the Proposals for Peace with the Regicide Directory of France, London: […] F[rancis] and C[harles] Rivington, […]; sold also by J[ohn] Hatchard, […], →OCLC, page 21:[T]he triumph of general fraternity vvas but the most ſignalized by the total vvant of particular claims in that caſe; and by poſtponing all ſuch claims, in a caſe vvhere they really exiſted, vvhere they ſtood emboſſed, and in a manner forced themſelves on the vievv of common ſhort-ſighted benevolence.
*** 2021 March 7, David Hytner, “Manchester United catch City cold as Fernandes and Shaw end winning run”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian‎, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-04-06:[Luke] Shaw's goal embossed his latest man-of-the-match performance and it came in front of Gareth Southgate, although the England manager has surely decided already to recall him for the internationals at the end of the month.
** (obsolete) To make (speech, etc.) unduly bombastic or grand.
*** 1587 January, Raphael Holinshed, “Henrie the Second, the Second Sonne of Geffrey Plantagenet”, in The Third Volume of Chronicles, Beginning at Duke William the Norman, Commonlie Called the Conqueror; […], 2nd edition, volume III, London: […] [Henry Denham] […] at the expenses of Iohn Harison, George Bishop, Rafe Newberie, Henrie Denham, and Thomas Woodcocke, →OCLC, page 94, column 2:All this diſſention and ſtrife was kindled (no doubt) by the meanes of certeine ſowers of diſcord, ſycophants, paraſits, flatterers, clawbacks, & pickeſhanks, […] thinking by their emboſſed ſpeech to tickle the eares and harts of the yoong princes, […]

##### Alternative forms

* imboss (archaic)

##### Derived terms

* embossable
* embossed (adjective)
* embosser
* embossing (noun)
* embossman
* embossment
* embossograph
* embosture, imbosture (archaic)
* nanoemboss

##### Translations
#### Noun

emboss (plural embosses)
* (obsolete, rare) Synonym of boss (“a knob or projection”)
** 1644 November 27 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 17 November 1644]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC, pages 107–108:In this [the piazza of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City] is a fountaine out of which gushes a river rather than a streeme, which ascending a good height breakes upon a round embosse of marble into millions of pearles that fall into the subjacent basons with greate noise; I esteem this one of the goodliest fountaines I ever saw.

### Etymology 2

From Middle English embosen, embose, enbose (“of game: to become exhausted from hunting”), possibly from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + Old French bos, bois (“woodland, woods”) (modern French bois) (from Late Latin boscus, Medieval Latin boscus (“woodlands, woods”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *busk (“bush, thicket”), from Proto-Germanic *buskaz (“bush, thicket”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to appear; to be; to become; to grow”)). Doublet of imbosk (“to conceal or hide (not necessarily in a forest or wood)”).
Sense 2 (“to make (a hunted animal) foam at the mouth”) is probably influenced by emboss (“to decorate (something) with bosses”; etymology 1, sense 5), likening the flecks of foam to decorative bosses.

#### Verb

emboss (third-person singular simple present embosses, present participle embossing, simple past and past participle embossed)
* (intransitive, obsolete) Of a hunted animal: to take shelter in a forest or wood.
** 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 98, lines 698–701:So vertue giv'n for loſt, / Depreſt, and overthrovvn, as ſeem'd, / Like that ſelf-begott'n bird / In the Arabian woods emboſt, […]
** a. 1681 (date written), Samuel Butler, “The Elephant in the Moon”, in R[obert] Thyer, editor, The Genuine Remains in Verse and Prose of Mr. Samuel Butler, […], volume I, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1759, →OCLC, page 8, lines 125–126 and 129–130:An Elephant from one of thoſe / Tvvo mighty Armies is broke looſe, / […] / Look quickly, leſt the Sight of us / Should cauſe the ſtartled Beaſt t’imboſs.
* (by extension, transitive, chiefly passive voice, obsolete) To drive (a hunted animal) to exhaustion by chasing it; to exhaust; hence, to make (a hunted animal) foam at the mouth due to exhaustion from being chased.
** 1523, John Skelton, “A Ryght Delectable Tratyse vpon a Goodly Garlande or Chapelet of Laurell, […]”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, →OCLC, page 410, lines 22–25:Thus stode I in the frytthy forest of Galtres, / Ensowkid with sylt of the myry mose, / Where hartis belluyng, embosyd with distres, / Ran on the raunge so longe, […]
** 1575, Jacques du Fouilloux, “Certaine Observations and Subtleties to be Used by Huntsmen in Hunting an Hart at Force”, in George Gascoigne, transl., The Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting. […], London: […] Thomas Purfoot, published 1611, →OCLC, page 118:And if hee [a hart] ſhould runne into any of thoſe two windes, it would quickly enter his throate when he is emboſt and beginneth to be ſpent, & would drie his throat & his tong ſore, and woud altarand chafe him much with the vehement heat thereof.
** 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 17, page 581:In her right hand a firebrand ſhee did toſſe / About her head, ſtill roming here and there; / As a diſmayed Deare in chace emboſt, / Forgetfull of his ſafety, hath his right vvay loſt.
** 1603, Michel de Montaigne, “Of Crueltie”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, pages 249–250:And as it commonly happneth, that when the Stagge begins to be emboſt, and findes his ſtrength to faile-him, having no other remedie left him, doth yeelde and bequeath himſelfe vnto vs that purſue him, with tears ſuing to vs for mercie […].
** 1605, Michael Drayton, “The Legend of Matilda”, in Poems: […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Iohn Smethwicke, […], published 1613, →OCLC, signature Gg2, verso:VVhen like a Deere before the hounds imboſte, / VVhen him his ſtrength beginneth to forſake, / […] / Thus ſtill I ſhift me from the Princes face, / VVhich hath me novv continually in chaſe.
** 1615, G[ervase] M[arkham], “[The Husbandmans Recreations: […].] Of Hunting, and of All the Particular Knowledges Belonging therunto.”, in Countrey Contentments, in Two Bookes: The First, Containing the Whole Art of Riding Great Horses in Very Short Time, […] The Second Intituled, The English Huswife: […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for R[oger] Iackson, […], →OCLC, 1st section ([Of Hunting]), page 31:[I]t is the nature of a Deare vvhen he is once imboſt, or vvearie, to ſeeke vvhere he may find another Deare, and to beate him vp and lay himſelfe dovvne in his place.An adjective use.
** 1651, William D’avenant [i.e., William Davenant], “The First Book. Canto the Second.”, in Gondibert: An Heroick Poem, London: […] [Thomas Newcomb?] for John Holden, […], →OCLC, stanza 49, page 20:For on the Shore the Hunters him [a stag] attend; / And vvhilſt the Chace grevv vvarm as is the day / (VVhich novv from the hot Zenith does deſcend) / He is imbos'd, and vveary'd to a Bay.
** 1679 (first performance), Thomas Otway, The History and Fall of Caius Marius. A Tragedy. […], London: […] R. Bentley […], published 1696, →OCLC, Act IV, scene [ii], page 45:VVas ever Lion thus by Dogs emboſs'd?
* (by extension from sense 2)
** (transitive, archaic) To cause (an animal's body, a person's mouth, etc.) to be covered with foam.
*** 1531, Thomas Elyot, “Of Moderation a Spice of Temperance”, in Ernest Rhys, editor, The Boke Named the Governour […] (Everyman’s Library), London: J[oseph] M[alaby] Dent & Co; New York, N.Y.: E[dward] P[ayson] Dutton & Co, published [1907], →OCLC, 3rd book, page 261:I suppose (except I be moche deceiued) thou seest me nat stare with myn eyen, or my mouthe imbosed, or the colour of my face chaunged, or any other deformitie in my persone or gesture, or that my wordes be swyfte, or my voyce louder than modestie requyreth, or that I am unstable in my gesture or motion, whiche be the sygnes and euident tokens of wrathe and impacience.
*** 1810, Walter Scott, “Canto I. The Chase.”, in The Lady of the Lake; […], Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for John Ballantyne and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, and William Miller, →OCLC, stanza VII, page 10:For, jaded now, and spent with toil, / Embossed with foam, and dark with soil, / While every gasp with sobs he drew, / The labouring stag strained full in view.
** (transitive, obsolete) To cause (someone, their heart or soul, etc.) to become extremely fatigued; to exhaust.
*** 1602, William Warner, “The Seventh Booke. Chapter XXVI.”, in Albions England. A Continued Historie of the Same Kingdome, from the Originals of the First Inhabitants thereof: […], 5th edition, London: […] Edm[und] Bollifant for George Potter, […], →OCLC, page 175:But ſee, ah ſee, I ſee hovv Loue caſts off Deſire his Hound, / A fell fleet Dogge, that hunts my Heart by parſee each-vvheare found. / Svveet Cynthea rate the eger Curre, and ſo thy foe preuent, / For, loe, a farre my chaſed Heart imboſte and almoſt ſpent.
*** c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene vi], page 244, column 2:[W]e haue almoſt imboſt him, you ſhall ſee his fall to night; for indeede he is not for your Lordſhippes reſpect.[W]e have almost exhausted him; you shall see his fall tonight, for indeed he is not worthy of your Lordship's respect.
*** 1624, Fra[ncis] Quarles, “Iob Militant. Meditat[ion] 19.”, in Divine Poems: […], revised edition, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for I[ohn] Marriot, […], published 1634, →OCLC, page 264:Great God! my Time's but ſhort, and long my vvay, / My heart hath loſt her Path, and gone aſtray, / My ſpirit's faint, and fraile, my ſoule's imboſt, / If thou helpe not, I am for ever loſt; […]
** (intransitive, obsolete) Of a person: to foam at the mouth; also (figurative), to be furious, to rage.

##### Alternative forms

* imboss (archaic or obsolete)

##### Translations
### Etymology 3

Possibly:
* from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + boss (“(small) cask; leather bottle for holding wine”) (Scotland, obsolete); or
* borrowed from Spanish embozarse, from embozar (“to cloak, hide; to turn up; to wrap up”) + se (“oneself; yourself; himself; herself; etc.”). Embozar is derived from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + bozo (“mouth; muzzle; halter for horses”) (from Medieval Latin *buccēus (“belonging or relating to the mouth”), from Latin bucca (“mouth”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Germanic *pukô (“bag, pouch”), from Proto-Indo-European *bew-, *bʰew- (“to blow; to inflate, swell”)) + -ar (suffix forming first-conjugation verbs).
The word was possibly coined by the English poet Edmund Spenser (1552 or 1553 – 1599) in his work The Faerie Queene (1590–1596): see the quotations.

#### Verb

emboss (third-person singular simple present embosses, present participle embossing, simple past and past participle embossed) (transitive, obsolete)
* To enclose or suit (a person) in armour.
** 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 24, page 39:A knight her mett in mighty armes emboſt, […]
* (figurative) To enclose or surround (someone or something).
** 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 19, page 160:The knight his thrillant ſpeare again aſſayd / In his bras-plated body to emboſſe, […]Referring to a spear being thrust into a person, and so enclosed by his body.
** 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 64, page 409:None of them raſhly durſt to her approch, / Ne in ſo glorious ſpoile themſelues emboſſe, / Her ſuccourd eke the Champion of the bloody Croſſe.
** 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto IIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 40, page 410:And there all night himſelfe in anguiſh toſt, / Vovving, that neuer he in bed againe / His limbes vvould reſt, ne lig in eaſe emboſt, / Till that his Ladies ſight he more attaine, / Or vnderſtand, that ſhe in ſafetie did remaine.
** 1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Loue of Learning, or Overmuch Study. With a Digression of the Misery of Schollers, and why the Muses are Melancholy.”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy, […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 2, member 3, subsection 15, page 155:A Merchants gaine is great that goes to Sea, / A Souldier emboſſed all in gold: / A Flatterer lies fox'd in braue array, / A Scholler only ragged to behold.Translating a Latin text by Petronius: “Qui pugnas & rostra petit, præcingitur auro” (literally “He who seeks battles and rostrums [i.e., a political role], is surrounded by gold”).

### References

* ↑ “embō̆cen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
* ↑ “emboss, v.$^1$”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, July 2023.
* ↑ “emboss, v.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
* ↑ “† emboss, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2023.
* ↑ “embōsen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
* ↑ “em-, pref.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
* 1 2 “emboss, v.$^2$”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, July 2023.
* 1 2 “emboss, v.$^3$”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2023.
* ↑ “† boss, n.$^3$”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, July 2023.

### Further reading

* embossing (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

### Anagrams

* besoms